Pro's and Con's of Different Types of Bed Racks
With pickup trucks becoming more and more popular in today’s world the accessories for pickup trucks seems to be growing with them. One of those accessories is the bed rack. The purpose of the bed rack is to allow for additional items to be stored on the rack to free up space in the bed. The bed racks come in a few different heights, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. The different sizes consist of names like bed rails, low bed rack, mid bed rack, 3/4 height bed rack and full height bed rack. So let's dive into the Pros and Cons of each.
Bed Rails (1-4”)
Pro’s
- These allow for items to be stored just above the bed, in doing so they do not affect the truck's aerodynamics and allow for an increased efficiency.
- Keeping time lower also allows for a lower centre of gravity, meaning less body roll and less chance of rolling.
- Having Bed rails allows for easier access to the item that is on the rails as they will most likely be around shoulder height.
- Idea for Diamondback covers
Con’s
- No long objects can be centred over the bed, items like Kayaks or surfboards will have trouble fitting and will stick out over the edge.
- Tonneau covers (unless retractable system) will not work with this as they can not roll or fold up with this design.
- Very limited options for accessory additions to the side of the rack for recovery gear like traction pads or spare fuel tanks.
- Blocks rear window completely
Low Bed Racks (4-8”)
Pros
- Low enough to still be within Trucks aerodynamics
- Keeping time lower also allows for a lower centre of gravity, meaning less body roll and less chance of rolling.
- Having bed rails allows for easier access to the item that is on the rails as they will most likely be around head height.
- More options with accessory racks for recovery gear like traction pads or spare fuel tanks.
Cons
- No long objects can be centred over the bed, items like Kayaks or surfboards will have trouble fitting and will stick out over the edge.
- Blocks rear window completely
- Limited access to the bed
Mid Bed Rack (8-13”)
Pros
- More room on accessory rack to store items both inside and outside the rack including taller items like gas tanks can fit inside
- Tires can stand up under the rack if needed
- Tonneau covers can easily roll up under the rack (if compatible) .
Cons
- Rack may push some objects higher than the height of the Cab, making the truck less aerodynamic.
- More than half the back window is blocked
- Longer objects cannot be centred over the bed, items like Kayaks or surfboards will have trouble fitting and will stick out over the edge.
- 10-13" Still not enough room for bikes in the bed.
3/4 Bed Rack (14-16”)
Pros
- More room on accessory rack to store items both inside and outside the rack including taller items like gas tanks can fit inside
- More room under the rack to fit items like bikes over a tailgate pad or other.
- Tonneau covers can easily fit under the rack (if compatible)
- Full view of review window reducing blind spots
- Some Longer options may begin to fit, depending on racking options and riser equipment
Cons
- Items will sit partially above the cab height
- Higher centre of Gravity
- Items sticking up higher may affect fuel efficiently
Full Size Bed Rack (17-20”)
Pro’s
- Lots of room under the rack
- Bikes and over tall objects can fit under the rack
- Full view of review window reducing blind spots
- Longer items can be stored on top of the rack (such as ladders, Kayaks and Surfboards)
Cons
- Items Fully exposed above the truck, affecting fuel efficiency
- Top heavy, will feel it in the turns with some weight on the rack
- May be hard for some people to get objects up that high, especially heavy items.
- Most strain on supports.